The present invention relates in general to a prefabricated dental arch form, and more particularly, to a maxillary arch form having artificial teeth temporarily luted thereto. Still more particularly, the present invention is related to an orientation arrangement that allows the maxillary arch form with artificial teeth to be oriented to the maxillary cast without the use of an instrument such as an articulator or relator.
In the usual method for the construction of artificial dentures, the maxillary and/or mandibular denture is first prepared by placing individual artificial teeth on a base that fits upon a cast of the patient's alveolar ridge which is supported by an articulator or other such instrument. Thereafter, the opposing denture, either the maxillary or mandibular denture, is similarly constructed and may be placed in the patient's mouth to check accuracy and aesthetics during the construction process. One of the drawbacks of these procedures is that the dentures are built up in a piecemeal fashion from individual artificial teeth, with intermediate checks an adjustments.
To this end, there is known from Schwartz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,082, prefabricated maxillary and mandibular arch forms having a plurality of teeth temporarily luted thereto which are adapted to maintain the mandibular and maxillary relationship during the fabrication of artificial dentures. An interconnecting arrangement, such as a mating pin and socket is provided on the dental arch forms for interconnecting the mandibular and maxillary members together. As a result, the dentition of the mandibular and maxillary arch forms maintain a predetermined occluded relationship during the fabrication of artificial dentures therefrom. Despite the advantages of the dental arch forms pursuant to Schwartz, there is still the need of the use of a relator and/or an articulator or like instrument for relating the dental arch forms to the maxillary and mandibular casts.
Accordingly, there is a need for a maxillary arch form which is adapted for orienting itself with the maxillary cast of the patient's alveolar ridge without the need of the use of a relator, articulator or the like.